SKOPE NEWS FOR AUGUST 17, 2015

Halfway through the second decade of the 21st century, you have to hesitate some before reaching for artistic descriptions like “mysterious” or “enigmatic”. Atypical is the new typical; it’s all been said; it’s all been done before, right!?

How else though do you depict an artist who, over a good few years and now dozens of productions, has never bared his own face to camera, nor shown himself ‘unmasked’? An artist who opts instead for a series of silhouettes, outlines, altered images and other avant-garde-ist phantasmagorias with which to present himself to his audience. And an artist, it must be remembered, who goes under the distinctly shrouded alias/cloak of Audio Noir! The clandestinely minded Australian won’t be ‘exploding onto any scenes’. He’s no “overnight sensation”, nor could his career rise (thus far anyway) be classified as “swift” or “meteoric”. He doesn’t DJ either (“yet” he underscores) and he may well be too ‘fresh of age’ to have even heard one of his own tracks played live in club.

To celebrate 25 years of Heavenly Recordings, the label is set to release a special compilation exclusively at Rough Trade stores on September 18th. The compilation features their most esteemed artists including Mark Lanegan, Toy, Temples, Stealing Sheep and H. Hawkline. Hawkline’s contribution to the release is the sublime “It’s A Drag”, which makes its premiere on Under The Radar today.

H Hawkline (aka Huw Gwynfryn Evans) released In The Pink Of Condition, earlier this year on Heavenly Recordings. It is his first long-player “proper” for the label (he released a compilation of previous EPs and tracks, Salt Gall Box Ghouls, in August 2014). Recorded at Seahorse Sound Studios in LA and produced by long-time cohort, fellow Welsh ‘migr’ and musical maven Cate le Bon, In the Pink Of Condition is his 3rd album, following 2010’s A Cup Of Salt and 2011’s The Strange Uses Of Ox Gall.

‘OFF THE RECORD’ FASHION SHOW TO BRING NEW YORK RUNWAY FLAIR TO NASHVILLE THIS NOVEMBER

Long before Elvis warned us to steer clear of his “Blue Suede Shoes,” fashion has had a place in the world of music. On Sunday, Nov. 1, this creative allegiance will be celebrated at OFF THE RECORD, an elite Nashville fashion event featuring an exclusive runway show, benefiting the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

OFF THE RECORD will bring the excitement and buzz of New York Fashion Week to Music City via a catwalk filled with nationally recognized and celebrity models wearing covetable clothing and accessories from the world’s hottest fashion brands, as well as a very select group of Nashville area designers. The invitation-only affair will be held at the lavish estate of Sylvia Roberts, a location many guests will recognize from its appearance on the TV show Nashville. The event will also feature entertainment from very special musical guests, to be announced.

OhBoy! are back! Following the success of EP1 & the aptly titled EP2, Noise pop enthusiasts are kicking off the next campaign with a free giveaway a Slacker banger named “beautiful terrible”. The track was recorded in studios, hallways & friends basements all over Northampton. The work involved laughter, loss, sweat, favours and tears and the result is Beautiful Terrible!

IRON MAIDEN ANNOUNCE VIDEO PREMIERE FOR THE BRAND NEW TRACK “SPEED OF LIGHT”

IRON MAIDEN have just premiered the video for “Speed Of Light” on their website www.ironmaiden.com. Written by guitarist Adrian Smith and vocalist Bruce Dickinson, “Speed of Light” is taken from their new double album The Book Of Souls due for global release on September 4, 2015 through BMG in the U.S.A. (Parlophone Records rest of world). The video will be available for streaming free on both www.ironmaiden.com and the band’s YouTube channel. Maiden fans can download the “Speed Of Light” song when pre-ordering The Book Of Souls on iTunes. It can also be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.

B.o.B UNVEILS HIS “PSYCADELIK THOUGHTZ”

Rebel Rock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist B.o.B has announced the surprise release of an extraordinary new special project. “PSYCADELIK THOUGHTZ” is available now at all digital retailers http://smarturl.it/PsycadelikThoughtz.

“PSYCADELIK THOUGHTZ” – which is streaming now at http://smarturl.it/bobpts – sees the multiple GRAMMY® Award-nominated rapper/musician/producer continuing to morph elements of pop, rock and hip hop into something altogether modern and thoroughly unique. The collection follows last year’s top 20 rap hit, “Not For Long (Feat. Trey Songz),” the companion video has garnered almost 10 million views at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjlzq-e2NE4.

iHeartMedia announced today that Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy has been added to the star-studded line-up for the fifth annual iHeartRadio Music Festival, the highly anticipated mega-concert event on September 18 and 19 in Las Vegas. In addition to Puff Daddy, this year’s lineup will feature Kanye West, Sam Smith, The Who, Coldplay, Demi Lovato, David Guetta, Kenny Chesney, The Weeknd, Tove Lo, Lil Wayne, Fall Out Boy, Disclosure, Hozier, Jason Derulo, Duran Duran, Prince Royce, Diplo, Trey Songz, The Killers, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas, Janet Jackson and more. The iHeartRadio Music Festival will also include performances from this year’s Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star winner, Christina Grimmie, as well as other surprise special guests and the kind of never-before-imagined collaborations that the iHeartRadio Music Festival is known for.

“Puff Daddy is back, and I am bringing everything I have to the iHeartRadio Music Festival,” said Sean “Diddy” Combs. “Music is everything to me – it’s a blessing to make music. I’m excited to be a part of such a great lineup and I can’t wait to make everyone want to get up and dance.”

Breakout U.K. band The Struts have signed to Interscope Records for the release of their debut EP Have You Heard, out now. The band are gaining a fast following in the U.S.—their single “Could Have Been Me” is climbing at radio and is currently #13 at Active Rock and #7 at Modern Rock. The track has over 2 million plays on Spotify, hitting #1 on their viral chart. In addition The Struts will premiere their new video for “Could Have Been Me” in the coming weeks. The video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and shot in London.

By popular demand, The Struts have added more dates and upgraded to bigger venues after having recently announced their first stateside tour. The band will makes stops at the House of Blues in San Diego, Lincoln Hall in Chicago, Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington DC and Bowery Ballroom in New York City (which quickly sold out). The tour will also feature appearances at Daytime Village at the iHeartRadio Music Festival, Made In America Festival and Voodoo Music & Arts Experience.

Aussie duo Carmada have released the second video for their debut Realise EP, out now on OWSLA. The duo was signed by Skrillex immediately after hearing their first song, “Maybe”, which has gained over 2 million plays. Last month they brought Charli XCX in studio for triple j Radio and on stage at Groovin’ The Moo in Australia as a guest vocalist for their latest video for “On Fire”.

THE DEAD WEATHER FIRST OFFICIAL SINGLE “I FEEL LOVE (EVERY MILLION MILES)”

Third Man recording group The Dead Weather — Jack White, Alison Mosshart, Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence — has announced the release of their long anticipated new album. DODGE AND BURN – the band’s third album and first full-length release in five years – will be available everywhere on Friday, September 25th. The album will be available for pre-order worldwide beginning this Friday, August 21st, with digital pre-orders receiving an instant download of the album’s electrifying new single, “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles).” The new single will also be available digitally worldwide on August 21st.

ONE MACHINE, the brainchild of acclaimed guitarist/songwriter Steve Smyth (Testament, Nevermore, Forbidden, Dragonlord, Vicious Rumors), recently announced the impending release of their second full-length album, The Final Cull, out on September 18th worldwide via Scarlet Records.

Today, the band is revealing the first single from the album, the title track, “The Final Cull”. Listen here via REVOLVER Magazine:

Jane Getter Premonition has announced its brand new studio album and label debut for Madfish, On, set to release October 2.

Recorded at Avatar Studios in New York, On features a stellar line up of progressive and rock musicians – keyboardist Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steven Wilson), bass player Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, The Aristocrats), jazz/rock drummer Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth, Steven Wilson) and special guests including vocalist Corey Glover (Living Colour), jazz/metal guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament) and British saxophonist, flautist and clarinettist Theo Travis (Steven Wilson, Robert Fripp). The album was co-produced by Jane Getter and Adam Holzman. Mixing duties were handled by Adam Holzman and Anthony Ruotolo at Spin Studios in Long Island City, N.Y.

“WORDS” DFACE

Three-dimensional bass vibes abound here on DFace’s latest weekly release, “WORDS,” a 100bpm-stomper that seethes emotion in every moment. Blending trap vibes with mid-tempo influences and a taste for experimentation, DFACE cuts to the core with a tune that is simultaneously upbeat but intense in ways few producers master without words at their disposal.

Ball & Chain, the notable and world famous live music venue located at 1513 Southwest 8th Street, Miami, FL 33135 is thrilled to present their first annual three-day music festival in honor of the venue’s 80th Anniversary this Labor Day Weekend in September. The historical hotspot originally opened its doors in September 1935 as a live jazz music venue closing its doors in the 1950s. The retro jazz bar on Calle Ocho was reopened with an authentic Cuban flare meticulously redecorated in iconic 1950s Miami style by new ownership Ben Bush, Zack Bush and Bill Fuller in September 2014.

Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer David Kahne (Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, The Strokes, Lana Del Rey), the track is from the duo’s highly anticipated full-length debut, which will be released early 2016 on Kemosabe Records. Additional album details will be announced soon.

Stephen spent the last 19 years recording and touring the universe with No Doubt, but has finally has set aside time to release his first solo project.

“Feel The Music” is inspired by the fickle Hollywood nightlife – the diverse, eclectic, engaging energy that pulsates through the bars, clubs, and streets. This energy has a power – it can suck you in or spit you out. The key to surviving anything is to embrace it and make it your own – feel it, absorb it, become it.

ALLIES FOR EVERYONE RELEASES ‘ALL GONE (REMIXES)’ EP

Much like its predecessor, “All Gone” has been cleverly retooled into an intoxicating set of sumptuous summery mixes. Courtesy of Spain-based duo JamLimmat & Raul De La Orza, Laurent Leroy, Emmy Award-winning electronic composer/remixer Kodomo (aka Chris Child) and AFE’s own Brian Suarez, the featured remixes range from bouncy Balearic house and spacious progressive deep house to sly nocturnal deep-tech, and dreamy melodic breakbeat (with hints of influences from Brian Eno, Erik Satie and Boards of Canada).

Glass Rifle are Americans Dan Colby, Ryan Francini, and British-born PJ Norman. The roots of the group lie in the Boston DIY punk scene where Colby and Francini first met. After serving in Hydrahead stalwarts The Huguenots and The Never Never, and Jade Tree Records’ The Explosion, Colby formed The Cignal with Francini. In the mid ’00s, after a well-received 7″, The Cignal disbanded and both Francini and Colby moved to New York City. It was here, in 2009, that they met Norman and Italian, Filippo Strang.

After a spell of performances throughout New York, Strang returned to Rome to found the recording/mastering studio VDSS, leaving the band to regroup in a power trio format that pushed Norman’s striking guitar work to the forefront. The departure also allowed for the intense Colby/Francini rhythm section to expand on the pair’s longstanding musical connection with more vehemence.

Dave Koz’s Collaborations: 25th Anniversary Collection (Concord Records) debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, becoming the nine-time GRAMMY®-nominee’s eighth album to top the chart. The album, which is available HERE, shines a light on some of the saxophonist’s most memorable creative partnerships, drawing from Koz’s extensive catalog as well as other artists’ recording projects and including three brand new tracks.

The collection’s first single, “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” is one of the songs recorded especially for the collection. Rick Braun and Kenny Lattimore join Dave on the classic R&B track, which is already a Top 10 hit at Smooth A/C and Jazz radio.

Produced by the UK-based Kestrel Media, the video was conceived by Lianne Pierce who also created the Pixies’ animated video for “Bagboy.” For “The Night Believer” video, Pierce teamed up with the stop-motion animator Will Hodge (Disney’s “Frankenweenie,” Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox”). Pierce and Hodge set to work crafting 2D, cardboard creatures to cruise around in colorful, plasticine cars, using stop motion and After Effects trickery to bring everything to life. The result is a race between a variety of critters and a towering, hungry robot, all tangled in a myriad of color and accompanied by the cheery tune of “The Night Believer.”

UK metal band Bullet For My Valentine is gearing up to release their new album VENOM on Friday, August 14th, and in anticipation, the band will roll out music with commentary all week long across their social media accounts. the band has just released a new bonus track called “Playing God” from the deluxe edition of VENOM.

MTV has teamed up with world-renowned fashion designer Jeremy Scott to redesign the MTV Moonman for the 2015 “MTV Video Music Awards” airing on LIVE on Sunday, August 30 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Miley Cyrus to serve as host. The Weeknd is slated to perform. Additional performers will be announced at a later date.

As homage to Jeremy and his creative talent, the 2015 “MTV Video Music Award” Moonman will encapsulate the true iconic essence of both the fashion designer and the network. From the distinct color of the TV color bars, to the peace sign necklace, to Jeremy’s signature sneakers, the redesign of statue is part of MTV’s long-standing history of bridging the gap between the world of fashion and music.

By now you’re familiar with the name LTN, as the Indonesian producer has been consistently releasing some of the most beloved progressive trance and deep house tracks of the year. Now he’s taken Attila Syah, a fellow countryman, under his wing and the two are ready to unleash their Big Room Trance track “Silence is Golden” today on Ternary Records.

BARBEE “BABYLON” VIDEO

The “Missing You” artist, formerly linked to Beenie Man, takes on a role as leading lady in her new music video “Babylon”. The production features action-packed moments, shots of a beautiful high-rise, a sauna scene with a mystery woman, and a smoldering Barbee dressed in silk lingerie. The video queen is known for pushing the envelope in past videos, but takes on a new challenge in her latest appearance. During the interview, Winford pushes Barbee to answer the tough questions fans and viewers have been waiting to get answered:

“Telling good stories is an intricate element to becoming an actress. People depend on your insight to deliver useful and entertaining information.” She states that in her upcoming projects she is intending on portraying more storytelling through her video visuals. Barbee also adds that she’s doing well after launching the Every Ting Pretty Headphones, an ear-set with high-quality sound and a feminine design perfect for girls-on-the-go.

​Mixing the indie aesthetics and #healthgoth attitude of underground artists like Yung Lean, with the laid back beats of hip hop faves like Chance The Rapper, Allday is leading a new era in a genre all his own. The Adelaide rapper arrived with his new mixtape, Soft Grunge Love Rap via US label, Wind-up Records, with an exclusive premiere on NYLON. Today, the rapper returns with a new video for track, “Magic” on fuse.

The band is fronted by Shadwick Wilde, an accomplished artist and songwriter who used to be a punk rock guitarist-for-hire for the likes of Dischord Records’ Iron Cross, before moving to Louisville and forming Quiet Hollers, who’s earned a cult following on the East coast and Midwest after booking a slew of their own tours (often using connections from Wilde’s Dischord days).

Quiet Hollers, the bands’ sophomore album, was engineered and mixed by Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Murder By Death, Grace Potter) and runs the proverbial gamut of the band’s eclectic influences: 90’s college rock, post punk and alt-country, to deliver heady, literate, hook-laden narratives, blasting through tube amps in swirls of violin and piano. The new album channels Quiet Hollers’ raw energy and Wilde’s vividly clever storytelling ability, venturing into strange new territory where there’s room to breathe, and the road goes on forever.